Bilateral THR Happy Birthday Hips!

[Shenick]

Hi Layla,

Thank you so much !

I was just considering updating here as I have been struggling with a continuing lack of progress over the last week or so. As I mentioned before I still have some swelling/saddlebags and tightness through the front of the thighs. This really is stopping me from increasing the amount of walking I do and make movement uncomfortable, especially in the morning when the swelling seems worse.

Would love to have more positive news but I am not at my best as side sleeping is still impossible and sleep is hard!

Continuing to ice and elevate as much as possible but feel I have stalled in recovery. As usual would love to hear if others had this experience and really hoping things will improve soon.

Still enjoying the swims though so I can end on a positive note

 

[Mojo333]

Hi @Shenick
Things do seem to stall out a bit, and 2 months out is prime time to want to do more, but those new hips will complain if you aren't careful.
Once you can get into the pool the biggest tip is go slow. Water activities are easily over done as you are weightless. I've seen several members post how sore and stiff they are after their water workouts. We advise do half as much as you think you should.
Also the frog kick is not advised.

I just had to remind myself often -
Tightness is a normal occurrence after this kind of major surgery. Your surgeon did major carpentry work and disturbed every millimeter of soft tissue in this area. You aren't tight because your muscle is underused and needs to be stretched and rehabbed. You're tight because your tissue is still healing... If a long full step right now is causing pain and limping, don't take long full steps. Take smaller steps. Take a short walk several times a day, instead of longer walks. Use ice, still. Rest a lot, still.

This isn't the time to do anything to excess. Baby steps now, and lots of patience, pays off big time later.
Structure your return to your life as a slow, gradual process where you introduce very small increments in activity, and then give yourself time to see how you react to it.
All temporary, and worth the patience. I am certainly glad I am able to get back to a full happy life.

 

[Shenick]

Hi @Mojo333

Thank you for your advice. I have slowed down a lot over the last week as I had no choice with swelling and tightness. Hopefully I can be patient as you say and enjoy the water without being too active, It is really the walking which frustrates me - being happy to go for a walk just for enjoyment and without discomfort will mean success for me!

 

[myglasshalffull]

You will get there, I'm 5 months post op and saw OS yesterday and cleared to resume my life (pretty much had anyway), other than aerobics or running. Neither interest me, I am an avid walker and always have been so I understand your frustration trying to get out for a walk.
Yesterday I did my neighborhood walk by myself for the first time. My partner usually accompanies me but he was babysitting his grandkids yesterday and humidity here finally broke so off I went. I've been doing lots of walking in stores but terrain here is hilly and always felt safer when I had someone with me but OS said I'm good to go so I did it and felt so proud of myself when I returned.
All my best

 

[Shenick]

Thank you! I hope to being enjoying a walk soon...
I am going to France in four weeks time where my brother has a house in a very rural part of Brittany. The walking trails are the main attraction so just hoping I can at least venture some way into the countryside by then.

The idea of being stuck at base in France is probably contributing to my anxiety but I can only hope!

 

[Layla]

Ooh la la...France, how fun! I hope you're able to enjoy some strolls through the countryside by then, as you're envisioning. You'll have to let us know how the whole travel experience went upon your return. I'm sure you'll have a great time.
Safe travels if we don't hear from you again before then!
@Shenick

 

[Zoebichon]

Since I discontinued my anti inflammation medication at 7 weeks and daytime Tylenol at 8 weeks, I do feel some tenderness in my left groin and some tightness in my right thigh.

I am now walking 3 miles every morning, which is mostly smooth sidewalk and several hills. I have always loved walking uphill and it is feeling good. Walking downhill feels awkward still and I slow down.

I have found a way to rehab my hips to get them ready for some hiking again, in another month or two! A local park has a large grassy field, which is quite lumpy and uneven. So now on my walks, every other day, I walk back and forth several times on this uneven, but flat, grass. I feel it’s good training for hiking.

My walks are not totally enjoyable since I still seem to have residual pains but not really enough to slow me down. My pace has really picked up. My shadow in the early morning sunlight is not showing any limping.

Since you have enjoyed walking before your surgery, I am certain you will again soon! We just have to give it time. Walking in the country side in France sounds wonderful! Let us know how it went!

 

[Shenick]

I love your idea of preparing your new hips for hiking by walking in a field....my balance on uneven ground could certainly do with some work. Also looking at your shadow for signs of limping is very creative, the idea might get me out earlier in the morning - although the Irish sun can be hard to catch!

Will use your methods in prep for my France trip and report back

 

[Layla]

Happy Three Month Anniversary! Possibly you're in France right now? If so you'll need to update upon your return. We'd love to hear about your trip and how your new hip held up through all. I hope you're there and enjoying the walks in the country side that you mentioned. Stay safe and take good care!
@Shenick

 

[Shenick]

Thank you so much for remembering my three month mark Layla!
I returned from France last week. The trip was enjoyable but temperatures were high even in the north and I am not a lover of intense heat! I did lots of walking and slightly increased my distances without any real difficulty. However, I am continuing to be frustrated by the fact that I experience tightness in my hips and quads during walking and so it is never what I would call 'comfortable'. I still wonder when I will begin to really enjoy walking again and forget about the new hips - they still feel new and not fully part of my body mechanics . As I am over the three month mark I suppose I had expected to be moving more easily, probably my usual impatience and I do hope I make more progress over the coming weeks / months.
Having covered all the negatives it was lovely to walk and relax in the French countryside and it was certainly better than pre surgery trips when my hips were painful.
I hope everyone is doing well and look forward to catching up with all the progress stories

 

[Mojo333]

Glad you enjoyed your trip.
Three months is certainly still early in your recovery so you will certainly see improvements over the next year.
I was probably well over a year and a half out from BTHR before my legs didn't remind me....

 

[myglasshalffull]

I'm not a lover of high heat and humidity either so walking outdoors in that type of weather isn't enjoyable but overall I'm sure you had a lovely trip.
I continue to see different milestones in my recovery now almost 7 months later. Yesterday I did quite a bit of shopping in AM and felt great going in and out of the stores. I was searching for of all things an egg poacher. No luck and I know I can get one from Amazon but I'm making eggs benedict this AM for my son when he finishes his overnight ER shift so wanted to find one yesterday. But I'll just do them as always in a pan.
My hip still gets stiff and some days need an ice pak but overall I feel I'm doing quite well.
I still think about new hip all the time guess that's normal and makes me overly cautious sometimes but I'm hoping I just wake up one day and it's not the first thing in my mind. So it's quite normal for you to have these thoughts and concerns and I'd say you are in very good company here at Bonesmart.
Stay well.

 

[Klassy]

Hi @Shenick
I just popped in to the site to see what was new. I hope you won’t think me unfeeling, but I am chuckling at your post. Here I am, mouth open in amazement to read that only 3 months after getting two new hips, you have already been on a walking holiday abroad, then I read on further to discover that you think your recovery is slow!!!! You look like Wonder Woman to me.

Don’t worry, even I with my slow recovery eventually reached the point where I could forget my new hips. I am still a bit cautious about the most recent one, which is 8 months old, only because the surgeon for that one warned me not to overstretch it, but I have to stop and figure out which hip it is. You will get there!

 

[Shenick]

Thank you so much for your support and for making me feel better about my progress. I think now that I probably walked a bit too often and a bit too far while on holidays! I am going to PT tomorrow and hoping to get advice on exercises to improve things and some advice on how I should be progressing.
Thanks to the advice here I won't be doing more than I feel is comfortable now and hopefully in another few months I will forget my hips are brand new.

 

[Mojo333]

@Shenick
I know it might seem slow as molasses but these really are early days, especially doubly fun.
The annoyances the first year after BTHR are well worth the results.
We are truly blessed.
Keep the faith, friend.

 

[NightQuilter]

Just found your thread @Shenick - it sounds like you are having a terrific recovery, despite your concerns about it. We simply have to "embrace" our new parts and be thankful for them. Your hips will guide your recovery. I can tell you, with nearly 20 year old hips, I rarely think about them at all - I was so thankful from the moment they were installed that I was able to walk again. It does take a few months though for the muscles and tendons and such to get comfortable with them, but before long you won't be thinking about them. Good luck going forward.

 

[Shenick]

Thank you @NightQuilter , its lovely to hear that your hips are still serving you so well. Off to the PT for some advice on 'gentle' exercise now and really grateful for the advice and support as always!

 

[Boofit]

Here I am, mouth open in amazement to read that only 3 months after getting two new hips, you have already been on a walking holiday abroad, then I read on further to discover that you think your recovery is slow!!!! You look like Wonder Woman to me.

Same here!!

My recovery is much slower, but I too am looking forward to travelling to Sydney in November, and doing some coastal walks when down there....

 

[Shenick]

Hi all,

I haven't visited for some time but wanted to acknowledge the support I got from this site during the first months of my recovery journey. It was so helpful and all the stories and common worries and problems shared was such a comfort through the rocky bits.

My new hips are now so good I often forget they are so new! I worried a lot during the first six to nine months about ever returning to the walking, cycling and swimming I love but especially in the last three months these hips have gone from strength to strength. I want to encourage all those hippies who are worried to stay with it...it is so worth the wait!

Thanks and best of luck to all. Will be checking back from time to time and happy to share experience if it helps anyone out there.

Enjoy the summer

 

[MissFanny]

Happy birthday to your hips!

Thanks for inspiring us to see a better future!